1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining the acceptability of media for use in electronic devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and devices for screening sheets of media products for use in electronic devices such as multifunction devices, printers, facsimile machines, copiers, scanners, and the like.
2. State of the Art
Sheet-fed devices, such as printers, copiers, facsimile machines, multifunction devices, and the like, occasionally experience errors or malfunctions that interrupt productivity or effect quality. One of the most common problems occurring with sheet-fed devices is known as a “paper jam” wherein a sheet of media becomes trapped in the feeder of the sheet-fed device and prevents further sheets from being fed until the “jammed” sheet is cleared. Paper jams are usually the product of equipment malfunctions or result from the type and quality of media being used with the sheet-fed device.
The characteristics of the media fed to the sheet-fed device may cause paper jams. Media with too much moisture content may be too limp and may crumple when pushed by the rollers of the feeder. Media with too little moisture content may build up an electrostatic charge on its surface causing it to cling to other surfaces. Furthermore, media with too little moisture content or that is too stiff may crumple rather than travel around the bends of a sheet-fed device. Media that has a tendency to curl when heated during the fusing portion of a printing process may miss a feeder roller when curled. Media that has a smooth surface texture may not have enough friction for the feeder rollers to push it at high speeds. These and other media characteristics may contribute to paper jams and other problems resulting in significant downtime in printing and copying processes. The media characteristics may also damage the sheet-fed device. For example, an abrasive coating on a sheet of media may damage the feeder rollers or other surfaces that come in contact with the sheet.
The characteristics of the media fed to the sheet-fed device may reduce the quality of imaging processes performed by the sheet-fed device, namely, printing, faxing, copying, scanning, or other printed material analysis. For example, media with a high moisture content may have a reduced toner adhesion while media with a low moisture content may have uneven electrical properties across the surface causing toner to get pulled away from its intended location.
In order to avoid paper jams, damage and reduced quality caused by the use of inappropriate media with certain sheet-fed devices, the sheet-fed devices usually include instructions and specifications for reducing or preventing paper jams. In addition to the instructions for proper use of the sheet-fed device, supported media specifications defining the appropriate specifications for sheet-fed media are also recommended. The supported media specifications typically define the types of media that may be safely utilized with the sheet-fed device. For instance, supported media specifications typically include recommendations regarding the weight of the media, the surface quality of the media, the types of media compatible with the sheet-fed device, and other recommendations based upon media qualities. In many instances, instructions accompanying the sheet-fed device will also recommend that media specially made for the particular sheet-fed device be used with the device. Different types of media are manufactured with different specifications for better compatibility with laser printers, inkjet printers, copiers, and the like. Thus, a particular media with specifications falling within the supported media specifications may be purchased based upon the intended purpose under which the media is marketed and sold.
Specialty media is not always used, however, and oftentimes, the supported media specifications are not followed. Instead, the cheapest media or the only available media is used with a sheet-fed device. The use of media having qualities falling outside of the supported media specification recommendations can cause damage to the sheet-fed device and increase the chance of paper jams. These problems are especially prevalent in those instances where recycled media or multi-use media is used with a sheet-fed device. For instance, used media is often used a second time before being discarded or recycled. In some instances, a sheet printed on only one side is reused and printing is also performed on the other side. The custom of reusing media may be useful for draft copying or printing where the appearance of the final document is not important. However, media products typically undergo changes during a printing or copying process that can affect the quality of the media and render the media unusable.
The use of media that fails to meet the supported media specifications with sheet-fed devices leads to paper jams, machine damage and reduced quality, all of which reduce productivity and increase the costs of printing with sheet-fed devices. Therefore, a method and an apparatus for determining whether or not media to be used with a sheet-fed device is suitable for the particular device are desirable.